Nala: The Lion Queen
by mkray120
Summary: In the wake of heartbreaking loss and grief, young Nala must navigate through life in the deceptive world of the Pridelands under a new, tyrannical rule. How will she fair among her friends, foes and the treacherous King Scar? [Some Nala/Scar and Nala/Malka] *Revised 10.31.16 - see Ch. 3 & 4*
1. Chapter 1

****My Intro:**** Hello, this is my second fanfiction story. All and any reviews are greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 **Story Note:** This will be a Nala-centric story, but some chapters will also focus on other canon and semi-cannon characters. Eventually, some OCs will be introduced as well.

 ** **Disclaimer:**** All rights to Disney!

* * *

 ** **Nala: The Lion Queen****

 ** **Chapter One****

At first, it was barely a whisper.

"Nala."

She stirred in her sleep, but did not awaken.

"Psst. Nala."

The voice persisted, now with hushed urgency.

"Naa-laa!"

Then quite suddenly, the young lioness awoke with a start.

"Huh!?", she exclaimed loudly.

Feeling disoriented, Nala looked around the den drowsily and blinked her teal-colored eyes in the dark. Slowly coming into clarity, she noticed a compact figure had appeared in front of her. Then before she could react, the figure reached towards her with a small paw, and gently shook her pale-coated forearm.

"Shh! It's just me.", he whispered softly.

By sound alone, the female cub now instantly recognized whom the voice belonged. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, her vision finally cleared enough to reveal him. She looked up to meet his face.

It was none other than the prince of Priderock, Simba.

Though normally delighted to see her best friend, Nala's brow now furrowed with confusion. She had no clue what Simba was up to this late in the night, nor why he felt the need to awaken her from her deep and blissful slumber.

"Ugh, what's going on? It's the middle of the night. I'm still supposed to be asleep, and so are you!", she chastised grumpily.

The male cub looked around the cave warily, making sure none of the adult lions had awoken and noticed his nocturnal antics.

Simba had already waited a few hours to ensure everyone had fallen asleep before he could put his new idea into action. He now turned his attention back to Nala, his soft-amber eyes giving her an adorably apologetic look.

"Um, heh. Sorry for waking you up. It's just that...I wanna show you something. Something really special. But we gotta go now - or else it'll disappear soon.", Simba informed her cryptically.

"Now? What is it?", Nala questioned, yawning softly.

Simba looked towards the opening of the cave. A faint, pale moonlight was still visible from the inside of their den, but he figured that dawn would likely arise soon.

He glanced back to the other lion cub.

"Well I can't tell you without showing you, Nala. C'mon, let's go!" With a smile and one raised brow, he gestured mischievously towards the entrance.

But Nala was not amused.

Though Simba had already apologized earlier for their dangerous afternoon misadventure in the elephant graveyard – and she had readily forgiven him – the young lioness was not fond of getting into another sticky situation so soon.

"Simba, did you already forget what happened yesterday? My mom's not very happy with me. I don't wanna get in trouble again."

Suddenly, the young prince looked gravely stricken with guilt.

While coming to terms with his regrettable actions the evening before, Simba had vowed he would never so carelessly put Nala in such danger again. After having come so close to losing her during the hyena chase, the youngster did not even want to fathom what life would be like without his best friend.

Especially, if Simba himself was the one to have put her in harm's way.

But as for Nala, what the female cub did not yet realize, was that her friend was now actually up to a much

different endeavor. And when Simba spoke again, his voice was honest and eager - almost pleadingly so.

"I know, I know – and you know I'm really sorry about that. But I swear this is just outside, we won't even leave Priderock. And it's safe, I promise."

And so like many a time before, the young prince managed to win her over.

"Well okay, but this better be something good!", Nala replied. Despite her sassy tone, she gave him a genuine smile. In the end, she considered any time spent with her best friend as time well spent.

"Trust me, it'll be great!", Simba grinned.

The pair of cubs carefully tip-toed around the sleeping adult lionesses laying about the floor and quietly made their way to the entrance of the cave. Simba slowly led Nala outside into the dim moonlight, heading towards the front of Priderock.

Simba knew he could have waited until the next evening or any other night to show Nala what he wanted to share, but this was a "something special" that he just could not let wait. The prince truly hoped his beloved friend would be in equal awe as he had been by the recent revelation.

With Simba just a couple of steps ahead, the young cubs excitedly began to climb the steep, narrow point that overlooked the Pridelands. It was the young lion's favorite part of the royal domain, offering one of the most beautiful views in all of the savanna.

"C'mon, we can see it best right up here.", Simba informed his companion, as he stepped up the rocky peak.

The cubs now stopped near the end of the ledge and stood right next to each other, shoulder to shoulder. While Nala gazed across the grassy plains, Simba looked up towards the sky.

After a moment of silence, he finally spoke.

"Here it is, Nala. Look at the stars."

The pale-coated cub looked up.

The immense Serengeti sky was still rather dark, and gleaming stars twinkled high above them enchantingly.

As always, they appeared lovely to Nala. But she was quite puzzled – why did Simba so randomly want to star-gaze with her on this particular night?

"They're beautiful, Simba. But...what's so different about them tonight?".

"Well, there's nothing new exactly. I just wanted to share something special with you I just learned about them, something my dad told me...", he replied.

Both cubs continued gazing up, their attention completely captivated.

"What is it?", Nala inquired softly. Intrigued, her bluish-green eyes were now filled with curiosity.

Simba suddenly became overwhelmed with the a wave of gratitude and humility; the same feeling he had just recently experienced for the first time while star-gazing with his father.

He paused briefly before attempting to speak again. Beside him, Nala awaited patiently for the young prince

to continue. After taking a shallow breath, he went on.

"Dad said that all of those stars up there? They're really the great kings of the past, looking down on us."

"Wow, really?", Nala asked.

"Yeah. And if we ever feel alone...we can always look up to those stars to guide us – and so will he."

A long, silent moment of reflection passed between the two cubs.

Nala then switched her attention back to Simba.

As he continued to gaze towards the heavens above, she studied the golden-coated lion carefully. After an eventful day full of ups and downs with her closest friend, she now felt their strong bond of friendship was as tight as ever - it felt almost inseparable.

Cautiously, she thought of what to say next.

"Simba, that's so cool. Thanks for bringing me out here to share it with me. It really means a lot."

The prince quickly turned his attention back to the other cub. As he smiled at her, his deep amber eyes shone brightly under the moonlight.

He was very pleased his companion found the traditional lore to be as fascinating as he did. And while Simba hoped neither one of them would ever have to feel quite so desperately lost or alone in the future, he was more than glad to share the wisdom with Nala, in case she would ever come to need it.

"You're welcome, Nala. Y'know, I really do like talking with you alone like this – I like it a lot.", he confided nonchalantly.

But soon enough, the male cub became promptly surprised at his own candor. His eyes widened slightly in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Nala grinned back at him.

"Same here! After all, isn't that what friends are for?", she replied.

"Right, of course!", Simba exclaimed happily.

The pair of companions knew very well they should head back to the den now, before any of the adults awoke and realized they had snuck out. But instead, both cubs silently agreed to spend just a few more moments outside, together under the beautiful starlit sky.

"Hey, Nala?"

"Yeah?"

"I really hope that we will always be best friends."

"Me too, Simba."


	2. Chapter 2

****My Intro:**** Hello, this is my second fanfiction story. All and any reviews are greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 ** **Chapter Note:**** Just a short, movie tie-in chapter to help move along the story.

 ** **Disclaimer:**** All rights to Disney!

* * *

 ** **Nala: The Lion Queen****

 ** **Chapter Two  
****

It was a particularly dark, silent night in the Pridelands. Heavy clouds curtained the velvety, black sky and the only source of light came from a small, waning crescent moon.

On this evening, there was not a star in sight.

A grief-stricken Queen Sarabi along with other pride-members huddled together in solemn unity at base of Priderock.

The youngest of the lionesses Nala, sought solace between her mother's comforting arms. She kept her head low and her eyes to the ground, still coming to terms with the dreadful news.

Scar stood before them upon a rocky podium, his presence serious and imposing. The dark-maned lion had just formally revealed to the pride of the unfortunate event that had befallen his brother and nephew, ultimately leading to their tragic demise.

After a moment of silence, Scar gravely resumed the eulogy.

"Mufasa's death was a terrible tragedy; but to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live... For me it is a deep, personal loss."

 _ _'I can't believe I'll never see them again. I will never see Simba again.',__ Nala lamented sadly to herself. Fresh tears instantly began rolling down from the young cub's large, aquamarine-colored eyes.

To Nala, it all seemed to be an ironically cruel twist of fate. For it was only the previous evening that she and the young prince had secretly shared a special conversation together, one about the stars and kings of the past. But now, Mufasa and Simba were both gone forever.

And consequently, this also meant there would be a new ruler.

"So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne.", Scar continued.

 _ _'I will never forget either one of them.',__ the cub vowed to herself.

Nala had no idea what the future of Priderock would hold under King Scar, nor did she want to think about it - she merely wanted to grieve in peace.

Mufasa had been the only father-figure and protector Nala had ever known, and she would miss his presence in her life greatly. Simba had been her best friend and closest companion in life, thus Nala knew he would always remain close in her heart.

But despite her existing heartbreak, another unexpected announcement would only worsen the sorrow.

"Yet, out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era... in which lion and hyena come together, in a great and glorious future!", exclaimed Scar.

He now left the lionesses behind, and went on to triumphantly ascend the peak of Priderock.

 _ _'No, no! He can't do this, how can this be?',__ Nala questioned herself, frantically.

All the pride-members looked around themselves with fright and confusion. It was as if their whole world was falling apart.

As the heckling of the hyenas became louder, their malevolent presence become increasingly clear. The pride huddled closer together for comfort and protection, though it appeared now their fate was already tragically sealed.

Deep in thought, Nala desperately looked up to the sky, in search for a sign of hope. Unfortunately, all she saw was a vast blanket of darkness – not even a single star.

And as of this day, Nala knew life would never be the same.


	3. Chapter 3

**My Intro:** Hello, this is my second fanfiction story. All and any reviews are greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 **Chapter Note:** This chapter was rewritten and updated on 10/31/16. It essentially plays out the same events as the original, but with some editing and small additions.

 **Disclaimer:** All rights to Disney!

* * *

 **Nala: The Lion Queen**

 **Chapter Three**

Once more, another dark and chilly evening fell upon the Pridelands and it's mournful residents.

Above the vast savanna, the sky loomed black and cloudy, as it had remained so for the past several days. A glowing cast of fog now settled over the grassy plains, and encompassed the land within an eerie grasp.

But from where she stood, Nala could still see it. The place where all had ended, and yet where all had begun:

The gorge.

It was located well in the distance, far from the waterhole where the female cub stood safely at the moment. But even way across the savanna, the top of the gorge's horizontal crevasse was still visible, quite clear to any keen observer.

Within the darkness of night, the ill-fated site appeared before Nala like a haunted apparition, and greatly unsettled the grief-stricken young cub. She let out a low and mindful sigh.

One month.

Exactly one month had passed since that fatal day at the gorge. The day Simba and Mufasa met life's end, and King Scar's new reign began.

But for Nala, time had stopped still ever since.

For the first time in her life, the youngster faced an inevitable concept all mammals must learn, no matter what species they belonged to:

Death.

Without doubt, the royal tragedy was a grim introduction to the "Circle of Life". Yet no matter what comforting words or sage advice the pride elders offered her, nothing could console the heartbreak she felt.

Truth be told, Nala just could not make sense of it.

As she gazed off into the distance, the cub found herself imagining various scenarios leading up to the tragic incident, as she often did when she had too much time to think. Although Nala knew it was inane to contemplate over such morbidity, at the same time she simply was not able to resist.

 _'Oh, Simba. Why were you even down there? I just don't understand it. Nothing makes sense around here anymore. I miss you so much, every single day.'_ , the cub mused ruefully.

After the graveyard incident, she had presumed they both learned their lesson on adventuring to dangerous places. But despite this, the very next day Simba had found himself in trouble - yet again.

Though in that moment, Nala did not blame her best friend for the accident, she just deeply longed for things to be different, and return back to how they used to be.

"Come, Nala. It is almost time to go home.", a female voice announced, and suddenly broke Nala away from her perturbing thoughts.

The young cub abruptly looked over to her right, and faced where the voice was coming from. Next to her, stood her mother Sarafina. Like everyone else in the pride these days, she appeared rather tired and weary.

"Yes, mom.", replied Nala dutifully.

The mother and daughter were not alone at the waterhole, which they were currently visiting to have a last drink for the day. Nearby stood another lioness, whom faced in the opposite direction of the gorge and gazed woefully towards Priderock.

It was Sarabi, the dowager queen.

Nala and Sarafina glanced knowingly at each other, then turned their attention back to Sarabi. The duo would only depart once the former queen was also ready to leave. As always, they wanted to show the utmost support and respect for her.

Now as they all stood together for a moment, a somber silence passed between them.

But then suddenly, Sarabi snapped out of her trance. She looked over to her fellow pride members and gave them a soft, doleful smile.

"Yes, let's go home.", Sarabi said at last, with a nod of agreement.

And with that, the matriarch-lioness turned away and took the first steps to move forward, and headed towards the dirt-trodden path which led back to Priderock. Behind her, the mother-daughter pair followed suit.

But as the trio began to depart, Nala momentarily stopped in her tracks, and glanced backwards over her left shoulder. She could not resist but have one last glimpse of the gorge; a place of both fear and intrigue for the small cub.

 _'I really wish I could you again, Simba. Even if it was just one more time...'_ , she thought, as her mind trailed off and she averted her eyes briefly towards the ground.

It was true that the youngster had spent the past several weeks in a state of denial, unsure of how to cope with the loss of the pride's beloved king and prince.

Yet now on this particular evening, a small part of Nala slowly started to change within, though she had not even expected it to. She gazed upwards once more, and bravely faced the gorge.

 _'...but as much as I want to, I know that's not possible anymore. You're gone. Forever.',_ the cub reluctantly concluded, with heartfelt poignancy.

And so with this very statement, ever so precariously, Nala at last began the first step towards the acceptance of Simba's untimely death, and of the new reality which came along with it.

Although by no means, was this to be an easy or smooth journey of emotion. Like for any grieving loved one, it could very well be a long road marred by confusion, guilt and perhaps even resentful anger.

The expression on Nala's face was one filled with sorrow, a clear reflection of her somber thoughts and unrequited questions, for which she doubted she would ever receive any answers.

"Good bye, Simba.", she whispered sadly.

* * *

As Sarabi led the way back to Priderock, Nala and Sarafina walked close next to her, one feline on each side. The threesome traveled together in silence, which made the walk seem longer than it actually was.

But this in fact, was Sarabi's intention.

 _'It's not as though I have much to come home, at least not anymore.',_ she thought sadly to herself.

The deaths of Mufasa and Simba had shook Sarabi to her very core and shattered life as she knew it to mere pieces. And while it was widely apparent all that the Pridelands would never be the same again – neither would she.

No matter how hard Sarabi tried, it was impossible not to reminisce over the better times. Back when her family was still complete and life was certainly not so bleak:

The day she and Mufasa were wedded in a beautiful ceremony. They day both officially bestowed the titles of King and Queen. And then of course, the day their only child and beloved son Simba was born – her miracle cub.

Yet now, the lioness knew, those days were long over.

 _'If only I could be with my mate and cub again, I would do anything to be with them... '_ , pondered Sarabi, as her mind relived bittersweet memories.

Though now at last, the elder lioness and her companions reached the royal domain. But just then, Sarabi stopped abruptly at the entrance. Likewise, Sarafina and Nala also came to a halt a few steps behind her.

Cautiously, Sarabi gazed up towards the high peak of Priderock.

Although few spoke of it, an irrevocable layer of tension had set over the kingdom under Scar's reign; it was a new feeling that had never existed under Mufasa's rule. Yet all the residents of the Pridelands understood for certain, there was no going back for them.

All they could do now, was simply hope for the best.

Sarabi took a sharp breath and shut her eyes tightly for a moment, as a conflict of emotions battled within her mind. But then finally, she opened them and chose to carry on, once more.

 _'No matter how much it hurts, I still have to keep going on...don't I ?',_ the former queen asked herself, with a sense of uncertainty.

The lioness led the way up the stony steps and over towards the eastern wing of the rock formation, where the newly assigned dens of the felines were located. But of course, they avoided the main den of Priderock - which Scar now solely claimed for himself - and purposely walked around it.

When the trio approached their own small cave, they came upon the two other young lionesses whom they shared it with. The pair had settled in for the night, and were already fast asleep.

Sarabi stopped near the entrance, then turned to face Sarafina and Nala.

"You two go on ahead. I'm going to check on the others in their dens. I'll be back soon.", the former queen instructed.

Despite the fact she no longer officially carried a royal title, did not mean Sarabi no longer cared for the subjects of the kingdom. The matriarch still liked to ensure everyone was safe and accounted for, an old habit which she had chosen not to forgo.

"Sounds good, Sarabi. Good night.", replied Sarafina. The pale-coated lioness yawned wearily and then headed inside the cave, with Nala close behind at her heels.

But before the cub got past the entrance, she suddenly froze. Cautiously, Nala turned around to face Sarabi. At that moment, the pair stood only a few feet apart from each other.

The cub slowly lifted her gaze to meet Sarabi's own.

"Um, Sarabi...", she began, rather timidly.

Meanwhile, the lioness gave Nala a faint smile and waited on her patiently, without any mind. She genuinely enjoyed spending time with female cub, whom had once been promised to her son, by way of a traditional betrothal.

"Yes, Nala?"

The young cub looked down at the ground, then shakily inhaled and exhaled; she was clearly quite overwhelmed with emotion.

Then all of a sudden, Nala rushed forward and hugged onto Sarabi's right foreleg, as she pressed herself tightly against the lioness.

"I love you.", the cub whispered.

For a moment, the tawny-coated lioness felt shocked and did not know how to react. But then soon enough, she instinctively wrapped her other arm around Nala's small body, and held the cub close to herself affectionately.

Since the death of her husband and son, Sarabi had fought a tough uphill battle with depression. In turn, as of late she often avoided interactions with others, in a feeble attempt to hide her sadness from them.

But in that moment, she was more than grateful for the young cub's pure outreach of love and sympathy. Sarabi let out a soft, appreciative sigh.

"I love you, too.", she replied genuinely.

And so for a little while, the lioness and cub stood together silently and consoled each other, amidst the shared grief and loss they both felt.

Meanwhile, all around them the wind suddenly picked up and sent chilly gusts throughout the night air, as it lifted colorful pieces of leaves and petals within it's small whirls, as if signifying the concordance of an otherworldly presence.

Then after some time, Sarabi gently pulled herself away from the youngster. She gazed down wistfully at Nala, her amber-eyes glistening brightly, as were the cub's own teal-colored orbs.

"Well, now...I think it's off to bed with you. I'll be there soon, too.", the lioness said quietly, as she lifted her chin slightly and gestured towards the nearby cave.

Nala smiled back at her and nodded, then slowly began to move away from Sarabi. But as the cub headed into the den, she halted at the entrance and glanced over her shoulder one last time.

Likewise, the matriarch stood in place and looked on after her young charge, with a fond expression donned on her face.

"Good night, Sarabi."

"Good night, Nala."

And with that, the youngster retreated completely into the cave, as Sarabi continued to watch on thoughtfully.

 _'Sleep well, my dear.'_ , she said in silence, with a faint smile.

Then, Sarabi turned around and slowly walked away.

Now, it was time for her to follow up on her last responsibility of the day, the final check on the other pride members. She carefully stepped down the rocks, and headed to the neighboring caves where they resided.

But as Sarabi strolled by herself in the dark of night, tears suddenly began to shed from her tired eyes and flowed freely onto the stone ground.

After Mufasa and Simba passed away, the lioness cried by her lonesome every single night. Yet on this night, she did not shed tears solely out of sorrow.

For today, Sarabi received a much needed and poignant reminder from little Nala: she was truly loved, much needed and deeply cared for – even still.

And so for the first time in a long time, Sarabi also cried tears of joy.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Poor Sarabi :( I feel like there is not much FF on her POV in Simba and Mufasa's death, but she really has such a sad story almost on par with Simba's own, even if it's coming from a different experience. I simply cannot imagine being in her place.


	4. Chapter 4

**Special Story Note:** Hello. I apologize for any confusion to my old followers, but I recently chose to make some adjustments to this fanfic, as I felt creatively limited by the original content I published for the story.

I did entirely replace Ch. 4 (the original was a vague scene between Nala and Sarafina, which may resurface in some form later on), though I only updated Ch. 3 for some minor editing/content. I also deleted the old Chapter/Author Notes, as they no longer apply - but that is all.

* * *

 **My Intro:** Hello, this is my second fanfiction story. All and any reviews are greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 **Chapter Note:** This chapter was published as a replacement for the deleted original on 10/31/16.

 **Disclaimer:** All rights to Disney!

* * *

 **Nala: The Lion Queen**

 **Chapter Four**

Early the next morning, the sun began to rise upon the great Serengeti as beautiful and brilliant as ever. The colorful sky was still painted with the violet-orange shades of dawn, but far away on the western horizon, a golden circle slowly emerged, as if it arose from the very ends of the earth.

With a long, drawn-out yawn, Scar leisurely stepped outside his spacious den and carefully glanced around the main quarters of Priderock. Visibly appeased, the lion could not resist but smile to himself, in a wicked sort of way.

 _The King. Your Majesty. My Sire._

After many years of impatiently waiting and lurking secretly in the shadows, all of these prestigious titles now at last belonged to Scar – and he loved it.

A month had passed since the new king finally staked his claim on the throne, after he dramatically usurped it from his older brother and young nephew, by the most diabolical of means.

After the wildebeest stampede and a hyena-led execution, Scar got exactly what he wanted at last. And now each day when he awoke, the Pridelands' new ruler arrogantly reveled in his newfound glory.

' _King at last, king at last'_ , the dark-maned lion thought proudly, with a devilish smirk upon his face.

He then casually strode away from the den and towards the high peak that overlooked the vast savanna. At the moment, Scar noticed the royal homestead still seemed fairly empty and quiet, for not all of it's residents had awoken just yet.

The king now stood upon the end of the ledge, and pretentiously gazed over the magnificent Pridelands.

As far as Scar was concerned, no one else could ever take the throne away from him – not until the day he died.

And of course, he thought this would only happen many years in the future, when he became old and sick. Though by then, he intended to have a male heir survive him, like any successful king at the end of his reign.

However, Scar had not given this idea too much consideration - at least not yet.

But for now, he was merely satisfied that the hyenas and lionesses – as well as their cubs - were all under his iron-pawed rule. Whether they remained loyal out of fear or respect was debatable, but Scar simply did not care, as long as they obeyed him.

 _'Things are going superb... well for me, that is. Ha-ha.',_ the king considered, with a sense of dark humor and a nonchalant shrug.

Scar let out a contented sigh and gave the lovely scenery a final look, then turned away and headed back off the ledge, and swiftly made his way down the domain's stone entry steps.

Now, it was time for a morning walk.

This had been a habit of Scar's for many years now, not just once he had became king. The long walks were the male lion's way to reflect on life and clear his mind.

Most of the time, this worked out just fine. Although every once in a while, it actually had the opposite effect on him, when he unintentionally let his mind wander wild.

But unfortunately for the predator, this behavior simply could not be predicated, as to when nor why it may suddenly occur.

As he left Priderock behind, Scar found himself on a dirt-trodden path that led deeper into the expansive, grassy plains. There was a small waterhole located nearby, but he instead chose a longer route to a more scenic pond, in a different area of the territory.

Yet now as the ruler traveled on his way, Scar's troubled mind began to steadily brew with unrest. He could not help but ponder over another phase in his life, back to a time when it was believed he would never become king – nor deserved to.

'But at least _now_ , life _is_ fair...isn't it?', he asked himself aloud, rhetorically. There was clear uncertainty in the lion's tone.

For some time now, many in the Pridelands considered Scar to be a loner, an outcast. But this had not always been the case. Though still in his prime, when the lion was much younger, he had a rather different character.

He was courteous with family, cordial with friends and even deeply committed to a beautiful, mysterious lioness.

Then unfortunately, it all changed:

Scar had been fooled, shamed and then essentially ostracized by those around him. It totally blindsided him in the worst kind of way, and consequently changed the trajectory of his life forever.

In short, he had been betrayed.

And even to this day, when Scar reminisced over the dramatic betrayal, it made the lion feel weak and vulnerable – a way he absolutely hated to feel.

All of a sudden, he stopped in his tracks.

And now unexpectedly, from deep within the male lion, a rush of hot anger erupted. Scar tried to breath deep and slow, but it did not ease his mind at all. His vibrant, emerald-colored eyes quickly became bloodshot and his claws dug sharply into the earth.

Abruptly, he looked down at the ground.

Before him, there was a large, clunky rock on his pathway. In a fit of rage, Scar growled loudly and swiped deftly at it with his left paw, and sent the rock ricocheting away.

"It was all _her_ fault!" _,_ he shouted, in disturbed recollection.

In midst of the intermittent anger episode, Scar's body heaved with intense ferocity and his heart beat rapidly against his chest. But after some time, the lion at last precariously peered towards his right side, off to where the rock had landed.

And now ever so slowly, Scar's breathing started to stabilize, as he began to regain composure.

Several yards into the distance, was the location the king had come over to visit in the very first place.

It was a tranquil and scenic pond, surrounded by dense greenery and decorated with colorful flora – a slice of exotic jungle within the familiar savanna.

 _'Well, at least I'm here now.'_ , Scar thought dryly. He cleared his throat and arched his shoulders up, then intently walked towards the miniature oasis.

The beautiful location – referred by the locals as "The Sapphire Pond" - was actually a rarely visited site by Pridelanders, as it was hidden rather far and out of the way.

Which is exactly why the dark-maned lion liked it so much.

Now with an alleviated expression on his face, Scar casually made his way further into the vibrant oasis. For the newly bestowed ruler, it was not just a place of nostalgia – it was a world of his own.

Scar may have been king of the Pridelands now, but every once in a while, when the lion's mind reverted back to his troubled youth, he chose to find solace in the private sanctuary.

 _'Here, there is no one to betray me.'_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I hope the vague descriptions of mental illness/emotional instability in Scar's character make sense to you as readers. It's the first time I've really published a work that tries to illustrate such a plot device, so I'm not sure how it comes off to others.

Also, it is truly not my intention to make light of any such conditions. I just think creative writing with fictional characters is a good medium to explore such a real-world issue.


End file.
